Man arrested for allegedly selling tools to a man, stealing from him the next day

ST. GEORGE — A Washington City man is facing multiple charges after allegedly breaking into a residence in the Dixie Downs area and taking several tools from a home he was at just the day before to sell tools.

The incident began when officers were dispatched to a residence on 1450 North on a burglary reported shortly after 10 p.m. Thursday. According to the initial report, several tools had been stolen from the home.

The reporting party told police he purchased a number of tools on Facebook Marketplace and that 35-year-old Jarrod Moon of Washington City was the seller, according to charging documents filed with the court. He also told officers the most recent purchase was made shortly after noon the previous day.

Court records also indicate that during one of the purchases, Moon went into the residence while the reporting party was getting cash to pay for the tools, and once paid, the suspect left the home.

Eight hours later, the reporting party reportedly returned to the residence and “he realized several of his tools from inside and outside his residence were missing,” the officer noted in the report.

The man spoke to his neighbor, who told him that a couple driving a white Nissan Altima parked in front of the residence the day after the purchase between 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.

Jerrod Don Moon, 35, of Washington City, booking photo taken in Washington County, Utah, Aug. 21, 2020 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

According to the witness, the woman was between 30-40 years of age with dirty blonde hair. The man was described as a white male with short dark hair and tattoos who appeared to be “strung out on drugs,” the report stated.

Police also learned that Moon was driving a white Nissan when he was at the residence selling the tools the previous day, and also learned that the suspect was staying at a local motel on St. George Boulevard.

Officers responded to the motel and found a silver Nissan parked in the parking lot, and after speaking to several individuals at the scene, officers obtained the room number and spoke to the suspect a short time later.

Meanwhile, officers obtained information that Moon and an unidentified male had gone to a residence in the Dixie Downs area to retrieve some tools and remained at the home for 10-15 minutes.

During an interview, the suspect “eventually admitted” that the victim’s tools “would be easy to take” and went to the home where the unidentified man was able to gain entry. Once the tools were loaded into the vehicle, they left the residence.

While Moon admitted to having assisted in carrying the tools to the vehicle, he denied ever entering the residence while speaking to police, and he told officers it was the other man who actually gained entry.

The report also states that officers recovered the stolen tools under one of the beds during a search of the motel room.

Moon was arrested and transported to Purgatory Correctional Facility and later charged with second-degree felony burglary of a dwelling and third-degree felony theft. He is being held on $15,270 bail and is scheduled to appear in 5th District Court on Wednesday.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2020, all rights reserved.

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